DOE: More Students Prepared for College

Hawai’i State Department of Education officials say that changes in the DOE’s implementation of its 2011-18 Strategic Plan are paying off as more public high school students are prepared for college.

The College and Career Indicators Report by the Hawai’i P-20 Partnerships for Education shows that students in Hawai’i have made a steady, and in some cases significant, improvement in a variety of career-readiness indicators. These improvements include Hawai’i State Assessment reading and mathematics scores, college enrollment, and early credit attainment.

Karen Lee, Executive Director of Hawai’i P-20 Partnerships for Education, commented on the results. “This year’s report is especially exciting as we see the incredible gains that each school, and the DOE as a whole, have made across several different metrics. It is a testament not only to the hard work of the DOE educators and students, but also to the strong partnership with the 10 UH campuses as DOE and UH align expectations and outcomes for students. This report shows that we are making progress toward achieving Hawai’i’s education goal of “55 by’25” – to have 55 percent of Hawai’i’s working age adult hold a two or four-year college degree by the year 2025.”

In the CCRI report, the accomplishments of the Class of 2014 throughout the state were detailed. It also provides a measurement of student readiness for college and career.

“The progress reflected in this year’s report is a real tribute to the continued hard work and dedication of our students, educators and administrators,” stated DOE Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “The graduating class of 2014 was the freshman class when Hawai’i first implemented Race to the Top reforms, so this CCRI report is significant in that it shows the positive impact of the reform efforts. There have been significant challenges in making these changes, but the resiliency and dedication of teachers, education leaders, and everyone in our schools and communities to focus on what is best for students have allowed us to overcome these challenges with the Hawai’i Common Core and the new Smarter Balanced assessments so that students are ready to succeed once they graduate from high school, whether they choose to go to college or to begin an entry-level career.”

In addition to the CCRI, the DOE has also recently received ratings of “meets expectations” for its Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Monitoring Report.

“This progress that Hawai’i has made in its educational transformation is incredible. Much credit goes to the state’s educators and school leaders for showing tremendous courage and doing the hard work to improve outcomes for all students,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Hawai’i is a model for the rest of the country. I congratulate the state for its accomplishments and hope the state continues its leadership in improving outcomes for all students.”